India taxi app launches rescue boat service to help in Chennai floods

An Indian taxi app service has launched a free boat rescue service to help those trapped by the floods in Chennai.

The boats, provided by Ola, which normally organises cars for its users, have been ferrying food and water as well as stranded passengers.

It seems like the idea actually started as a joke on social media, before being made reality a few days later.

More than 70 people have been killed as rains continue to fall on the city in the south of India, media reports say.

Around 10,000 people have already been evacuated and much of Chennai has come to a standstill.

Pictures show people struggling through deep water, flooded buildings and completely submerged cars.

Over the weekend one user shared a picture of the Ola booking screen, with a button highlighted to hail a "boat" instead of the usual car.

Venkatesh Krishna tweeted the caption: "Planning to book #OlaBoat to reach office 2Maro. #chennairains #venkatweetz."

Two days later, Ola had a service up and running - although you can't actually hail the boats through the app.

Ola tweeted: We've been ferrying people out from water-logged areas in Chennai. #OLABoat

The boats are being operated using information provided by the fire and rescue department of Tamil Nadu, a statement from the company says.

Each one is manned by two rowers and can ferry anywhere between five to nine people in a single journey. Passengers are given umbrellas on board, to help keep them dry.

Sai Shyam G tweeted: "So, @Olacabs did send out boats to rescue people trapped in floods. Hats off to the team! #OlaBoat"

The service will be run for another couple of days at least, the company says, with a possibility of extension, depending on the weather.

"Thousands of citizens have been stranded and are suffering due to heavy rains and water logging in Chennai," said Ravi Teja, head of business at Ola in Tamil Nadu.

"Boats deployed by Ola will help ferry people to safer areas and in distribution of essential supplies like food and drinking water in affected areas."

While many people praised Ola for their free boat service, others saw it as a publicity stunt.

Kiran Jose Ignatius tweeted: "Some really uncool stuff from #ola in Chennai. #OlaBoat is a marketing gimmick first and good will gesture second."

The company is India's biggest ride-hailing service and typically has more than one million bookings a day.

Its biggest rival, Uber, has just announced a $1bn (£658m) investment in India.

For more stories like this one you can now download the BBC Newsbeat app straight to your device. For iPhone go here. For Android go here.